Chicago Bears trade-up targets in the 2021 NFL Draft

2. Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State

Considering the issues the Chicago Bears dealt with on their offensive line in 2020, it was surprising that they didn’t put more of an emphasis on improving it in free agency. They did bring back Germain Ifedi on a one-year deal and signed Elijah Wilkinson, who could be a nice swing option, but that isn’t nearly enough to expect much improvement this season.

Their best hope for positive change will come by way of the 2021 NFL Draft. The tackle class is as deep as it’s been in years, which is good news for the Bears since they will have to wait for 19 other teams to pick before they’re on the clock. However, if Chicago wants to be aggressive to ensure they land their guy, they could look to trade up a few picks.

If that is their plan, I believe Teven Jenkins would be the guy they do it for. Jenkins is the most physical tackle prospect in this class and his aggressive style of play would provide the Bears with an edge that they haven’t had in a while. He excels as a run blocker and looks to punish edge rushers in the passing game.

It’s assumed that Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater will be the first tackles off the board but Jenkins shouldn’t go too far after them. If the Bears’ top priority in the 2021 NFL Draft is to improve their offensive line, then they should be aggressive in their pursuit of Jenkins.